Analysis & Opinion

ROME, March 21 (Reuters) - The populist 5-Star Movement of
ex-comic Beppe Grillo has asked President Giorgio Napolitano for
the mandate to form an Italian government, a party official said
on Thursday.

"The 5-Star Movement was first in number of votes and the
primary political force in the recent elections. For this reason
we officially ask to be allowed to form a government to start
our programme," the head of the movement's parliamentary group,
Roberta Lombardi, told reporters after meeting Napolitano.

The head of the party's Senate group, Vito Crimi, said the
party had proposed a platform of policies including a referendum
on Italy's future in the euro during the meeting, part of a
series of consultations Napolitano is holding to see if a
government can be formed after last month's deadlocked election.

The two officials declined to say who the party's candidate
for prime minister would be.